DRINKING WATER
4 Essential Truths About Carbon Reactivation
Long-standing myths about GAC reactivation are being increasingly challenged, revealing performance, cost, and sustainability benefits many utilities may have overlooked.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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Tank Shark® Active Tank Mixing Proven To Be Superior To Dedicated Tank Inlet/Outlet Design
San Jose Water Company (SJWC) provides drinking water for over a million people in the greater San Jose Metropolitan region and is a recognized leader in drinking water treatment and distribution system water quality management. With over 90 water storage facilities in service, planned maintenance and rehabilitation of capital assets is a key component of SJWC’s CIP program.
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![GettyImages-1514165009-source-water-treatment]( "Building Climate-Resilient Surface Water Treatment Plants")
Building Climate-Resilient Surface Water Treatment PlantsWhat does it actually cost to build climate resilience into a water treatment plant? The answer depends on the right analytical framework.
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![resilientwedgegatevalvesreg]( "Tri-City Water Infrastructure Partnership: When 'We' Is Better Than 'Me'")
Tri-City Water Infrastructure Partnership: When 'We' Is Better Than 'Me'This is a story about three cities in North Carolina: Albemarle, Concord and Kannapolis. Albemarle, 40 miles east of Charlotte, had excess capacity in its water system and needed new customers to defray costs.
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Pinnacle Ozone Solutions Receives Best Practices Award From Frost & Sullivan For Advanced Disinfection
Frost & Sullivan is entering its 50th year in business with a global research organization of 1,800 analysts and consultants who monitor more than 300 industries and 250,000 companies. Based on the findings of this Best Practices research, Frost & Sullivan is proud to present the 2010 North American Product Differentiation Excellence Award in Advanced Disinfection Equipment Market to Pinnacle Ozone Solutions LLC.
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![12-Hacks-of-Communications-2020-1]( "Top 12 Communication Hacks")
Top 12 Communication HacksAs a meter technology company, we understand the importance of approaching challenges with smart solutions and proactive communication. Ultimately, our technology is all about helping customers and utilities to feel empowered, connected, and capable of taking on problems. Master Meter, Inc. created a list of the top 12 communication hacks found to be most successful in 2020. Implement these tactics and watch your utility connect with your customers and build trust with your community.
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![Instrument Resiliency For Tough Times]( "Instrument Resiliency For Tough Times")
Instrument Resiliency For Tough TimesUtilities have relied on numerous instruments for process control and monitoring for many years. But in today’s world, instrumentation is more crucial than ever. Most treatment facilities, pump stations, and other system components are automated to some extent. Instrument failure or inaccuracy may result in serious public health or environmental consequences. Resilient instruments can power through adversity and keep utilities running smoothly.
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Fractional Electrodeionization (FEDI) Technology For RO Permeate Polishing And Demineralization
Sabine Pass, a large LNG refinery in the U.S., required a membrane desalination solution to cater to its extensive process water needs in order to produce a large amount of liquefied natural gas for export.
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![Case Study Report For Z-92® Uranium Removal – City Of Grand Island, NE]( "Case Study Report For Z-92® Uranium Removal – City Of Grand Island, NE")
Case Study Report For Z-92® Uranium Removal – City Of Grand Island, NEA single WRT Z-92® Uranium Removal treatment system was selected by the City of Grand Island, NE to remove high concentrations of uranium in three city wells. When the Z-92® Uranium Removal treatment system was installed in 2012, it was the largest uranium treatment facility in the nation. The high uranium in the raw water source is consistently being reduced to levels below the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL).
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![GettyImages-917543550 water scarcity]( "Technology That Supports Water Conservation")
Technology That Supports Water ConservationWhile water conservation is a worthwhile practice anywhere and at any time of the year, the need to conserve precious water resources is especially critical in communities affected by drought.
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![iStock-918114606_450_300]( "The Natural Way: Biological Treatment For Groundwater Contaminant Removal")
The Natural Way: Biological Treatment For Groundwater Contaminant RemovalNature has long provided guidance to simple and sustainable ways to manage environmental challenges. Biological treatment of potable water is no exception. As more water is required to support human activity worldwide, sources once considered too contaminated or expensive to treat are quickly becoming necessary options. For groundwater contaminant removal, once again, the laws of nature point the way.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Dosing Of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution For Drinking Water Disinfection9/22/2022
A water purveyor was in urgent need of a chemically resistant flow instrumentation with a long life of service that allowed reliable and long-term stable dosing of the sodium hypochlorite solution.
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Protection Of Membrane Systems Utilized For Municipal Water12/1/2020
As water scarcity issues around the world become more acute, more municipalities are having to turn to alternative water sources for potable water supplies. Also, many municipalities in coastal areas are seeing the quality of their water sources degrade as sea water intrusion occurs.
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The Importance Of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) In The Water Analysis Sector3/6/2026
A high standard of living involves a high demand for water and, at the same time, causes much greater pollution of this essential element for life. The resultant interference in the natural cycle can often overwhelm natural processes of recovery, so that there is a build-up of anthropogenous additives such as pesticides, effluents and garbage, which contaminate drinking water supplies.
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Municipal Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring9/24/2020
We arm municipalities with actionable data necessary to make informed decisions about water quality in their communities
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Flow Monitoring At Sea Water Reverse Osmosis Plant Improves Water Distribution1/6/2025
Read about a desalination plant that was in need of a practical verification methodology for permanent and/or temporary (portable) solutions on large pipes.
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Real-Time Conductivity Monitoring Estimates Chloride Levels In Minnesota Watershed By Using The Aqua TROLL 20011/18/2011Monitoring deicing chemical levels can help researchers, city governments, and regulatory agencies understand runoff impacts on surface water, groundwater, and surrounding environments.
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Immediate pH Correction For Fluctuating Flow2/19/2014
In a number of water, wastewater and industrial process applications, pH is one of the most critical and highly sensitive analytical measurements. Examples of critical pH applications include: Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems in which a controlled feed of caustic solution is typically added to the feed stream in order to convert a portion of dissolved carbon dioxide into bicarbonate precipitate allowing for removal by the RO membrane. By Rafik H. Bishara, Steve Jacobs, and Dan Bell
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UV Technology Offers Solution For Emerging Water Crisis2/19/2014
Many are turning to UV as an effective barrier to enable the reuse of wastewater, for indirect reuse, and aquifer recharge.
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Phosphate In Groundwater And Surface Water: A Rapid And Reliable Determination Method Using The Photometric Spectroquant® Test1/31/2019
Phosphorus is an essential element for organisms and plants. In natural, uncontaminated waters, it occurs as organically bound phosphate, condensed phosphates or as orthophosphate — often referred to by its chemical formula PO4-P. The small quantity of phosphorus present in natural waters does not promote the growth of plants. However, a rise in the concentration of phosphorus results in the proliferation of algae, which leads to the eutrophication of the water body.
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A Comparative Study Of On-Line And Laboratory TOC Analyzers For Analysis Of Raw And Finished Drinking Water4/5/2013
Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis is an important indicator of water quality throughout the drinking water treatment process. Raw source water is progressively treated in chemical coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration steps to remove particulate matter and natural organic matter (NOM).
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The OPTIMASS 3400 is a cost-effective Coriolis mass flowmeter for accurate flow measurement of liquids and gases in a variety of demanding low flow and dosing applications (from 0.3 kg/h or 0.01 lb/min upwards). The OPTIMASS 3400 features Entrained Gas Management (EGMTM) for liquid applications, providing reliable readings even in the event of gas entrainment of up to 100%. In this way, the Coriolis meter enables continuous and uninterrupted measurement of volume flow and mass, density and temperature – even at very difficult process conditions with 2-phase flow.
Blue-White’s Polysulfone Flow Meters have durable meter bodies with excellent heat and chemical resistance. Units for use in UltraPure environments are available.
Designed to transform mechanical meters into communication data points, Itron's Cyble communication modules enable remote reading and monitoring of water meters on-site events.
Positioners are essential to the smooth and reliable operation of your process. They play a vital role in ensuring the best possible performance throughout your plant. A great example is our new electropneumatic positioner, the SIPART PS100. Its ease and speed of initialization make it a winner for valve manufacturers, the chemical industry, the energy sector, and many other fields. Special benefits of the SIPART PS100 include robust construction and ease of operation.
Aria FAST mobile water units deliver the water you need, when and where you need it. Our mobile systems are easily installed and produce highquality water in as little as four hours after utility connections are complete.
Harmsco® MUNI HP filters provide unsurpassed performance. Our patented Hurricane® design separates dense solids prior to cartridge filtration for extended filter life, increased dirt holding capacity and reduced maintenance costs.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![Reservoir spillway dumping overflow-GettyImages-2152233125]( "Applying Two Flood Models To Cross-Check And Improve Each Other — And Maybe Saving A Downstream Village In The Process")
Getting a second opinion is a time-tested piece of wisdom. During a recent project for a municipal water supply utility, we found that this advice also applies to modeling the effects storms have on the municipality’s reservoirs and dams, and the potential flooding impacts downstream of the dams.
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![Research, probing, monitoring atmosphere-GettyImages-987881424]( "How Satellite IoT Can Enhance Remote Water System Monitoring")
There is a noticeable shift in how monitoring data is being treated across the water sector. It is no longer something that sits quietly in the background of operations, collected for compliance, and reviewed periodically. It is being examined more closely, and more often, by a wider set of stakeholders.
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![ozone production]( "Mass Transfer Efficiency: The Most Important Metric In Ozone System Design")
Ozone output doesn’t guarantee performance. Learn how mass transfer efficiency determines how much ozone dissolves, drives treatment results, and impacts energy use and system design.
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![Cahaba River-GettyImages-2152826831]( "What Is The Future Of Source Water Protection?")
Water utility managers and municipal leaders have long struggled amid the convergence of several threats to public water supplies. During a recent Water Online Live event, I sat with a panel of industry experts to examine the transition from reactive crisis management to a proactive, adaptive resilience framework. -
![Bacteria, Medical research, healthcare-GettyImages-2161239007]( "The Hidden Legionella Risk In Closed-Loop Systems")
For a long time, it’s been assumed that closed-loop water systems — those commonly found in building heating systems, air-conditioning units, and cooling systems — are at a low risk for Legionella. However, there are many reasons why closed-loop systems can actually inadvertently promote the risk of Legionella. -
![Avoid pitfall Planning, obstacle avoidance-GettyImages-2167644498]( "Common AMI Implementation Mistakes And How To Avoid Them")
The journey from manual water-meter reads to a fully integrated digital ecosystem is long and complex. To help utilities along, the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) released the global Smart Metering Playbook, which includes both implementation best practices and common pitfalls. Here are five common advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) rollout mistakes from the Playbook, along with examples of how to overcome them.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Fresh off TrojanUV being named manufacturer of the year by the WateReuse Association, Water Online caught up with Jennifer Muller, Vice President of Global Municipal Sales for TrojanUV at this year’s WEFTEC, to understand how ultra violet systems are being applied in the growing movement towards direct and indirect potable water reuse.
See how SIWA MDM user experience is easy with various billing tiles and screens to help optimize the billing processes. Quickly see billing readiness, request activity in a highly configurable dashboard.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.